Irrigation apparatus.



W. H. COLES.

IRRIGATION APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED FEB,2.19IG.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

pp srar WALTER H. COLES, OF TROY, OHIO.

IRRIGATION APPARATUS.

Application filed February 2, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WAUrnR H. Comes, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Troy, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Irrigation Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to irrigation apparatus of the type known as the overhead system in which a series of pipes, each provided with a series of nozzles, are supported on or over the surface of the ground, supplied with water and slowly rocked, or oscillated from side to side to distribute the water from the nozzles over an extended area. These pipes have usually been rocked by a series of arms secured to the several pipes, and various methods have been employed for oscillating the pipes by means of these arms. First, the pipes have been oscillated independently. Second, they have been oscillated in unison by means of a cable connected to one end of an arm attached to each sprinkling line, and with an oscillating means at one end of the cable and ,a weight at the opposite end of the cable to keep the line taut. Third, a continuous cable has been used with a pulley in the median line at either end of the series of lines and by means of circular or segmental attachments, to the end of each arm, an equal distance between the parallel portions of the cable has always been maintained,v thus keeping the length of the cable required and the stress on the cable therefrom practically equal, irrespective of the position of the arms. The preferable form employs a pair of arms opposite to each other for each line with segmental connections at the end of each arm, as above described. The objection to this is the fact that the segmental attachments and the connections thereof are ineffective under inaccuracy in the alinement of the handles.

It is the object of my invention to provide a continuous cable connected directly to the rocker arms and running over the pulleys at each end of the line for the purpose of obtaining the proper oscillation. It is not practical to provide two pulleys of the same size, one at each end, nor groups of pulleys Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Serial No. 75,727.

at each end, which would be the equivalent of the two equal similar pulleys, for this purpose without causing undue sagging of the cable, because with the arms fully extended in the vertical position more cable is required than when the arms are shifted at an angle to the vertical. Neither is it practical to employ segmental attachments and connections between them and the cable in order to permit a cable of equivalent length and maintain an equivalent strain at all times, by maintaining at all times and at all positions of the oscillating arms, a fixed distance between the parallel portions of the oscillating cable. It is the purpose of my invention to overcome this diiliculty, while at the same time to provide an endless cable by that certain novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating my improved construction, showing the irrigating pipes in cross section. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing a portion of one of the irrigating pipes of the system and the means for rocking the same.

1, 1, indicate a series of posts for supporting the irrigation pipes 2, 2, over the surface of the field. These pipes are provided with a series of nozzles 3, 3, and water is supplied to the pipes through the main pipe 4: and branch pipe 5, connection with the irrigating pipes 2 being such that they may be oscillated without disturbing the connection. Each one of these pipes 2'is provided at one end with a cross arm 6 connected to its respective pipe so that the oscillation of the arms will rock the pipes back and forth and distribute the water through the nozzles. The endless cable 7 is provided for rocking these arms or handles 6. This cable is passed over a pocket pulley 8 supported on a suitable standard 10, and the pocket pulley is driven to drive the cable preferably by sprocket wheel 9 driven by power, or the pocket pulley may be operated by a handle attached to the pulley. The cable 7 is connected in turn to the upper end of each of the rock arms 6 in the series, and in practice the cable can also be attached to the lower ends of the rock arms, although theoretically the cable should run loosely through little pulleys on the lower ends of these arms.

In practice, with my invention as described, the local variations in length of the cable when the arms are extended into vertical position and into extreme angular position, are so slight that it is possible to connect both ends of the arms .to the cable.

If it were sought to provide the endless cable 7 with a single pulley of the same size at the opposite end, the result would be that when the arms were extended in a vertical position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, greater length of cable would be required than when the cross arms are angled into the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, and as a result a taut cable for the vertical position would be too loose for the angular position, and the only means so far adopted in practice of offsetting this is by the circular or segmental attachments heretofore referred to. In my present invention, I overcome the diiiiculty by providing at the opposite side of the field a standard upon which is mounted in suitable bearings preferably two pulleys 13 and 14, one directly above the other, and I run the cable over these pulleys. Instead of the two pulleys, more than two can be provided, or a single pulley equal in diameter to the distance between the outside edges of the pulleys 13 and 14. In practice, the posts 10 and 12 are located the same horizontal distance from the nearest adj acent line. All pulleys are of equal diameter, and the pulleys 13 and 14 are located respectively above and below the horizontal lines 15 formed when the rock arms are extended into vertical position a distance equal to the distance between the pulley 8 and the horizontal lines 16 formed by the rocker arms when they are in their extreme angular position; that is to say, pulleys 13 and 14 are located with their upper and lower edges respectively above and below lines 15, 15, a distance 17 equal to the distance between the horizontal lines 16 formed by the arms in their most angular position and the edges of pulley 8. I have found that with this construction it is possible in practice to stretch the endless cable around the pulleys, attaching same to both ends ofthe rocker arms, and this cable will remain practically taut in all positions of the rock arm. Theoretically the cable should be connected loosely with one end of the rocker, arm and run over rollers thereon at the opposite end. This can be done by connecting the top cable to the rock arms by pivoted loops 18, having set screws 19, and let the lower cable run through loops without a set screw on the opposite arms, or by connecting alternate arms with the top cable,

letting the opposite end of each of these arms run over on the lower cable and by connecting rigidly to the lower cable the opposite end of each of the arms which run through the upper cable. I have found, however, that in practice since it is not possible to stretch a cable entirely taut, it is possible and frequently is of assistance in compensating for the slack in the cable, to connect the cable at both ends of the arms.

The principle involved in running the endless cable over two pulleys at one end located outside the lines between the ends of the arms when extended in vertical position, is that l have reversed the conditions which exist at either end of the line with reference to the other end. ."Vhen the arms are extended vertically on the side in which connection is made over the single pulley, more cable is required for this position than when the arms are angled to the vertical,

while the opposite result is attained at the other side of the system; when the arms are in vertical position, less cable is required running over the two pulleys than is required when the arms are angled to the vertical. What is needed at one side of the system is by this construction furnished by the other side, so that for all practical purposes when the endless cable is installed, it will remain constantly taut.

If the cable where it rises or falls from the rocking arms to the pulleys is considered as forming the hypotenuse of a right angle triangle, it will be seen that four theoretical right angle triangles will be formed. The limits in size of the vertical and the horizontal sides of the triangles so formed, vary within definite limits, and because of the lo cation of the pulleys the largest and smallest bases and the largest and smallest vertical sides will be equal. Thus as the cable is actuated, the sum of the bases of the triangles will always be the same, because the arms move in the same are at the same speed. This will also be true of the vertical sides. If, however, the two pulleys at the one extreme of the line were omitted and a like pulley to the single one at the other end of the line substituted for it, then the bases would still follow the same rule, but the vertical sides would all become small at the same time, instead. of compensating each other by being largest at the one extreme of the line, at the same time that they are smallest at the other extreme.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an irrigating system, a plurality of oscillating sprinkler pipes supported over lie the surface to be irrigated, each pipe provided with an arm for oscillating the same, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms, for the purpose of oscillating lie the pipes in unison, with fixed means independent of the arms to compensate for any variation in the tautness of cable resulting from the variation in the angular adjustment of the arms.

2. In an irrigating system, a plurality of v holding oscillating sprinkler pipes supported at uniform height over the surface to be irrigated, each pipe provided with an arm for oscillating the same, with the arms of the re spective pipes arranged in line, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms, with fixed means independent of the arms to compensate for variation in the tautness of cable resulting from the variation in the angular adjustment of the arms.

3. In an irrigating system, a plurality of oscillating sprinkler pipes supported over the surface to be irrigated, each pipe provided with an arm for oscillating the same, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms for the purpose of oscillating the said pipes in unison, with means to compensate for variation in the tautness of the cable required for variation in the angular adjustment of the arms, comprising a cable holding member at one end and cable means at the other over which the cable runs, said cable holding means positioned so as to receive the cable at a point outside of the highest position of the arms.

at. In an irrigating system, a plurality of oscillating sprinkler pipes supported over the surface to be irrigated, each pipe provided with an arm for oscillating the same, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms for the purpose of oscillating the said pipes in unison, with means to compensate for a variation in the tautness of cable which would otherwise be required for variation in the angular adjustment of the arms, comprising a pulley device at one end and another pulley device at the other over which the cable runs, the second pulley device being so disposed with relation to the first that the variations in length of cable between the ends of the adjacent arm and the first pulley as the arms are oscillated and the variation in length between the ends of the adjacent arm and the second pulley device will result in a compen sation.

In an irrigating system, a plurality of oscillating sprinkler pipes supported over the surface to be vided with a cross arm for oscillating the same, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms, with means to compensate for variation in the tautness of cable re quired for variation in the angular adjustment of the cross arms, comprising a single pulley at one end and a pair of pulleys at the other over which the cable runs, the pair of pulleys being so disposed with relation to the single pulley that the variations in length of cable between the ends of the adjacent arm and the single pulley as the arms are oscillated and the variation in length between the ends or" the adjacent arm and the pair of pulleys will result in a compensation.

irrigated, each pipe pro-' 6. In an irrigating system, a plurality of oscillating sprinkler pipes supported over the surface to be irrigated, each pipe provided with a cross arm for oscillating the same, with the cross arms of the respective pipes arranged in line, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms, with means to compensate for variation in the tautness of cable required for variation in the angular adjustment of the cross arms, comprising a single pulley at one end and a pair of pulleys at the other over which the cable runs, the pair of pulleys being so disposed with relation to the single pulley that the variation in length of cable between the ends of the adjacent arm and the single pulley as the arms are oscillated and the variation in length between the ends of the adjacent arm and the pair of pulleys will result in a compensation.

7. In an irrigating" system, a plurality of oscillating sprinkler pipes supported over the surface to be irrigated, each pipe provided with an arm for oscillating the same, with the arms of the respective pipes arranged in line, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms, with a single pulley at one end located the height of the sprinkler pipes, a pair of pulleys at the other end over which the endless cable passes, the pair of pulleys being located in a vertical plane and at the same distance from the adjacent arm as the single pulley is from its adjacent arm, and with the cable receiving points of the pulley devices separated from e ch other such a distance as to compensate for the variation in the tautness of cable required in the angular adjustment of the arms.

8. In an irrigating system, a plurality of oscillating sprinkler pipes supported at uniform height over the surface to be irrigated, each pipe provided with a cross arm for oscillating the same, with the cross arms of the respective pipes arranged in line, and an endless cable connecting the ends of the arms, with a pulley device at one end located the height of the sprinkler pipes, a second pulley device at the other end over which the endless cable passes, the second device being located in a vertical plane and at the same distance from the adjacent cross arm as the first pulley is from its adjacent cross arm, and with the second device located as to its highest and lowest positions, above and below the horizontal lines of the cable when the cross arms are in vertical position a distance equal to the distance be tween the horizontal lines of the cable when the cross arms are in their greatest angular adjustment and the first pulley device.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination with a rotatable sprinkler pipe and an arm therefor, an endless cable for actuating the arm, and means for hololing the cable outside the vertical limits of the arm at one extreme, and inside the Vertical limits of the arm a like distance at the other extreme, for the purpose described.

10. In combination, an oscillatable member, provided with an arm for oscillating the same, an endless cable connected to the end of the arm for the purpose of oscillating the same, With fixed means independent of the arm to compensate for any variation in the tautness of cable resulting from the Yfll'liitlOIl of angular adjustment of the arm.

WVALTER H. COLES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

